December 6, 2024
The Afghanistan Journalists Center (AFJC) welcomes the release of Abduraziq Seddiqi, the Director of Seday-e-Badghis Radio, from the Taliban's General Directorate of Intelligence (GDI) detention center in Kabul, where he had been held for 34 days. AFJC emphasizes that Seddiqi's arrest constituted a clear violation of Afghanistan's media laws, and his freedom should never have been compromised.
Seddiqi informed AFJC that he was released on Wednesday, December 14, around 7 PM, following an order from the Kabul City Court's second zone. He is expected to return to his home in Qala-e-Naw, the capital of Badghis province, today.
On October 31, 2024, Seddiqi was summoned to Kabul by the GDI, where he was subsequently arrested. The Badghis province Information and Culture Department had previously accused him of producing reports on the local situation, particularly regarding women's employment in a private company, which had been disseminated through international media channels. Local Taliban officials claimed that this reporting violated regulations set forth by the Taliban government.
AFJC firmly believes that Seddiqi's 34-day detention contravened the media law that the Taliban government has stated is in effect. This law guarantees journalists and media organizations the right to operate freely, without fear of intimidation or restriction. Article 4 of the Media Law explicitly states that no individual or entity may prohibit, ban, censor, or restrict the activities of news or information media, nor interfere in their operations or publications.
Currently, at least six journalists remain imprisoned in Afghanistan, with four serving sentences ranging from two to five years.
AFJC expresses deep concern over the increasing restrictions on journalists' work in the country and urges the Taliban authorities to unconditionally release all imprisoned media workers while respecting their fundamental and legal rights.